Support for cylindrical sound-records.



Patnted June 18, 1912.

F.. X, HOPBAUER. SUPPORT FOR GYLINDRIOAL SOUND RECORDS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1910.

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FRANK X. HOFBAUER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE S.

IDDINGS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SUPPORT FOR CYLINDRICAL SOUND-RECORDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 3, 1910. Serial No. 590A68.

Patented June 18,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK X. HornAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Cylindrical Soundltecords, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to talkingmachines of the type employing sound-records of cylindrical form and has reference more particularly to the construction of the supports on which the sound-records are mounted in such machines.

In talking machines using cylindrical sound-records, it is common to provide a mandrel for supporting the record provided with a tapered exterior surface and the interior of the record is also slightly tapered so that when the record is moved upon the mandrel it will come to rest in a position in which it is held firmly.

In different records, and particularly in records put out by different manufacturers, the size of the opening through the record varies, and, with the forms of supports for cylindrical sound-records now commonly used, this variation causes a proportionate variation in the position in which the record is held upon the mandrel lengthwise of the mandrel.

In some machines, as for instance those of the magazine type, it is important that the record always assume the same position longitudinally of the support in order that proper coaction with the reproducing mechanism may be obtained and the record must be held in this position with sufficient rigidity to preclude movement thereof relatively to the support during the operation of the machine.

' The present invent-ion involves the provision of a support for a cylindrical soundrecord specially constructed so as to fulfil the conditions above set forth without detracting from the facility with which the record may be placed upon it or removed therefrom. In accordance with the invention, a support is provided having a tapered cylindrical surface on which the record is received and at the end of this surface a stop projection, preferably a circumferential flange, against which the end of a record abuts so that in every case the record will lie upon the mandrel in the same position relatively to the length of the mandrel. The tapered cylindrical surface of the mandrel is so made that it can yield radially and the parts thereof are pressed outwardly to a predetermined extent with a yielding pressure; in this way the records will always be held firmly upon the mandrel when moved thereon into coaction with the stop though there be considerable variation in their interior diameter. The outward movement of the parts forming the cylindrical surface is suitably limited so that in no case would the smaller end of the support be expanded to such extent that a record would not slide thereon readily.

The mechanism whereby the exterior surface of the support is made adjustable in diameter and subjected to yielding pressure is simple in construction and maybe manufactured at very low cost.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the support showing a record thereon in section, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the support, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the support at right angles to the section of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4- -1 of Fig. 3.

Referring to these drawings, 1 indicates the shaft of the mandrel or support and 2 and 3 are heads secured thereon. Extending between these heads are two or more rods 4: parallel to shaft 1 but at a distance therefrom, preferably near the periphery of heads 2 and 8. These rods 4 form pivotal supports for parts 5 and 6 forming the cylindrical tapered surface of the mandrel. In the present instance two of these parts are employed, each consisting of a wall 7 ofsemi-circular cross-section and semi-circular end-pieces 8 at the ends of this wall 7. The walls 7 of the two parts form a practically complete cylinder tapered slightly and of a length approximately the same-as a sound-record. The end-pieces 8 have semicircular half-bearings formed therein and bear upon the shaft 1. The end-pieces 8'of each part 5 and 6 have alined openings therein through which a shaft 45 extends so that each part 5 and 6 can turn about its shaft 4 as a center; su'ch turning movement, however, is limited by stops 9 projecting through the head 2 and entering loosely into openings formed in the adjacent endpieces 8.

Mounted upon shaft 1 is a cross-head 10 adapted to turn loosely on the shaft. At the ends of this cross-head are pins 11 projecting laterally between the end-pieces 8 of the parts 5 and 6. Also secured to the crosshead 10 is a leaf-spring 12, one end of which projects under one of the rods 4 and presses thereon in a direction to turn the cross-head about shaft 1. hen the cross-head is so turned by spring 12, the pins 11 thereon engage the edges of the end-pieces S-adjacent tohead 2 and turn the parts 5 and 6 about the rods 4. The head '2 is of such diameter that it projects beyond the parts 5 and 6 when those parts are moved radially outward as far as is permitted by the stops 9.

In using a machine equipped with this form of support, a cylindrical record '14 is mounted upon the support by moving it over the parts 5 and 6 until its end engages the projecting edge of the head 2 whereupon lengthwise movement of the record relatively to its support is arrested. This insures that the record will be in the proper position with relation to the reproducing mechanism. As the record is moved thus, the parts 5 and 6 will yield and move radially inward to such extent as may be necessary, the parts turning about the rods 4: and against the tension of the spring 12; lVhen the record has reached the end of this movement with its end against the head 2, the spring 12 'acts on cross-head 10 to turn it about shaft 1 and the pins 11 on the crosshead press on the end-pieces of the parts 5 and6 so that those parts are subjected to pressure tending to turn them about rods 1 radially outward. This causes the parts 5 and 6 to press against the interior walls of the record with a force quite sufficient to cause the record to be held tightly. 7

Copies of this patent may be obtained for It will thus be seen that with this form of support cylindrical records varying in internal diameter may be mounted with the requisite rigidity upon the support and all in the same position relatively to the length of the support. Furthermore, the construction whereby these desirable characteristics are obtained is very simple andcapable of manufacture at very low cost.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A support for a cylindrical soundrecord, comprising a shaft, two heads se cured thereon, rods extending between said heads, parts pivotally mounted on said rods and presenting a substantially cylindrical tapered exterior surface, a cross-head loosely mounted on said shaft within said parts and coacting at each end with one of said parts, and a spring engaging said cross-head and acting thereon to turn the cross-head upon said shaft and thus actuate said pivotally mounted parts, substantially as set forth.

2. A support for a cylindrical soundrecord comprising a shaft, two heads secured thereon, rods extending between said heads, parts pivotally mounted on said rods presenting a substantially cylindrical tapered exterior surface, a cross-head loosely mounted on said shaft within said parts and provided with projections each engaging one of said parts and a single fiat spring coacting with the cross-head and one of said rods and acting to turn the cross-head upon said shaft, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 1st day of November, 1910.

FRANK X. HOFBAUER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

